Arctic Yearbook 2014 | Page 26

9 Aug: President Putin of Russia takes part in the ceremonial beginning of exploration drilling at a rig in the Kara Sea via TV link from Sochi. (ITAR-TASS) 31 Aug: Igor Sechin, head of Russian oil major Rosneft, announces that the company plans to invest USD 400 billion in Arctic projects by 2030. (Radio Free Europe) 9 Sep: The Conference of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region holds its biennial meeting in Whitehorse, Canada. 20 Aug: Russia announces that two of its icebreakers have recently completed a “complex” of geophysical research at the North Pole. (MarineLink) 09 18 20 21 31 SEP 02 21 Aug: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper launches his annual northern tour, including the announcement of a CAD 17 million Arctic research program. (CBC) 21 Aug: The Northern Sea Route’s eastern passage opens to commercial shipping traffic a full two weeks earlier than in 2013. (MarineLink) 18 Aug: The US Coast Guard announces that it has successfully launched and landed a drone, or UAV, from an icebreaker in the Arctic Ocean. (KTOO) 2 Sep: The founding meeting of the Arctic Economic Council takes place in Iqaluit. The creation of the AEC is a primary initiative of the Canadian Chairmanship of the Arctic Council. (CBC) 09